for now
by The Cinder Crown
Summary: "We can still have it all, Minerva," Tom said alluringly, and lifted her chin to make her look into his eyes. "I came here tonight for you. Just say the words and we can rule over this world together." :: or, two old lovers having one last conversation during the final battle.


… _  
can we just freeze, frame, pause, rewind, stop__  
__and get back to the feelings we think we lost  
_…

"Give me Harry Potter, and no harm will come your way. Give me Harry Potter, and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded."*

Minerva felt her heart hammering in her chest as she forcefully opened her eyes and uncovered her hears. The devastating sound of Tom's voice – so hollow, cruel and immane – still echoed through her mind.

Once she got her racing heartrate back under control, she quickly skimmed the crowd around her. Students, teachers, order members were scattered all around the Great Hall, their expressions haunted by fear and pain; their eyes filled with tears and their bodies painted with bruises and scars.

When Minerva's own emerald eyes fell upon Molly Weasley and how she was bending over her dead son's body, the witch clenched her teeth, balled her hands into fists, took a deep breath and strode, with her torn robe blowing behind her in the wind, through what was left of the old oak doors and carefully ascended the stairs to the Astronomy tower - her wand at the ready when she spotted the hooded figure that was leaning at the silver barrister of the platform.

"You know, I almost thought you wouldn't come," the man said without turning around.

Minerva's heart skipped a beat, but after only a short moment of hesitation, as she walked right towards him and placed her arms on top of the banister as well.

"You promised an hour of peace, Tom," Minerva answered emotionlessly as she stared right ahead into the night onto the grounds, where – only minutes earlier – a battle was raging. "To be honest, I didn't think you'd keep it."

"You know me, Min. I've never broken a promise," Tom Riddle answered, slowly removed his hood and turned his head ever so slightly to look at the emerald-eyed witch next to him.

A wave of nostalgia hit her as she thought back to another time – a time when there was still goodness in his now ashen heart ...

_He ran towards her. _

_His slytherin-coloured scarf blowing behind him and the most handsome smile on his face. _

_As soon as he stood in front of her, he lifted her up and swirled her around. _

_Then he sat her down, brushed his fingers through her long, ebony hair and kissed her so lovingly that she almost forgot everything around her ... _

A painful sting tore through her heart and immediately, she shook her head; trying to get rid of the images she had so desperately tried to forget. But not matter how hard she tried, the memories always resurfaced.

"True, you never did," Minerva said, her voice hoarse as she tried to hide her pain. "But you're not the man I used to know. Not anymore."

Shrugging, Tom turned around to face her completely. Slowly, he reached out and his bony fingers gently stroked her cheek.

The touch of his hand against her skin made her shiver. She closed her eyes for a moment and gasped for air as she felt how his magic softly healed the cut on her face.

Despite herself, she felt her body relaxing and the walls she had so carefully built around herself over the years started to crumble like the castle around her.

"Don't do this, Tom," Minerva whispered, as she forced herself fight his allurements.

But Tom ignored her and stepped even closer; this time brushing a strand of her greying hair back behind her ear.

"We can still have it all, Minerva," Tom said alluringly, and lifted her chin to make her look into his eyes. "I came here tonight for you. Just say the words and we can rule over this world together."

It was then when Minerva realized how much she had missed to be held by his strong and protective arms, how much she desired to feel his lips upon her own, and how much she had longed to feel his body pressed so tightly against hers….

But once she looked up and saw the cruelty and hollowness that was now mirrored in his once so warm and caring hazel eyes, she was reminded why she could never love the man in front of her again.

Thinking about all the people down in the Great Hall, and all the pain the man she thought she knew so well had caused them, Minerva fought her feelings, cupped his face with both her hands and leaned in to kiss him. He responded immediately, and with such a passion – his hand wrapped around her neck – that Minerva had to gather all her courage and will power in order to break away from him.

Their faces were still close, almost touching, so that she could feel his breath on her skin.

Her breathing was shallow and her heart was hammering painfully in her chest.

"You could have had it all, Tom," Minerva whispered in her scottish accent, and with tears in her emerald eyes she gently touched his ashen face with her soft hand. "All those years ago, you could have had it all… we could have been happy. Together."

Minerva swallowed, and squeezed his hand one last time before she distanced herself from him.

"But you preferred to exchange your love for power and destroyed your soul to conquer death."

Balling his hands into fists, Tom turned away from her, but Minerva saw the raging fire blazing in his eyes.

"I won't break my promise, Minerva," Tom whispered through gritted teeth; his voice now cold and empty – _deadly_. "I wanted to give you a last chance… to reconsider… change your mind and join me… but once this hour has come to an end, I will move heaven and earth to win this war. And there'll be no mercy… not even for you, Minerva."

At the same time, both of them drew their wands – pointing the at each other. Carefully, Minerva strode backwards, one step after another – never taking her emerald eyes off him.

By the time she reached the stairs, Minerva hesitated for one last time.

"You know, there was one promise you broke," she said, her voice filled equally with regret, remorse and ruefulness. "You said you'd always love me."

For a second, Tom's gaze softened ever-so-slightly and he almost resembled the young, intelligent man that once upon captured her heart. "I will always care for you."

Shaking her head, Minerva looked at him and her emerald eyes were as cold as stone. "Perhaps you care, but you will never love. You lost your soul, Tom. No one can love without a soul. Not now, not ever."

This said, Minerva turned around, swallowed away her tears and quickly descended the stairs – prepared for their last deadly duel that she knew was about to come.

… _  
can we just freeze, frame, pause, rewind, stop__  
__and get back to the feelings we think we lost_

_for now  
_…

* * *

**words: **1172

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry [Term 11: Slytherin]** :: Assignment 1: Geography: Task # 3:write about a meeting (restriction: cannot be a Death Eater or Order meeting)

**Hogwarts Writing Club July**: All storts of Space: Planets: 2. Venus - (relationship) Lovers

**Hogwarts Writing Club July**: Showtime: Hamilton: 46. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story: (genre) hurt/comfort

**Hogwarts Writing Club July**: Scamander's Case: Thunderbird: 13. (word) soul

**HPFC**: The_Dating_Grounds: Minerva McGonagall: 1. Astronomy Tower

_(*) line taken from the movie_

_as always, characters belong to JKR and lyrics were borrowed from P!nk ("for now")_


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